Utah firms files class action lawsuits against Target for data breach

Courts • Suits allege Utahns were among more than 40M customers whose data were stolen.

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Two Utah law firms have filed class action lawsuits against Target, alleging the discount retailer owes millions in damages for its recent data breach.

Christensen Young and Associates filed the lawsuit in Utah's U.S. District Court on Dec. 31 on behalf of Nellie Christensen, Stephanie Wright, Jennifer Christensen and Zachary Christensen, alleging the four were among more than 40 million Target customers whose data was stolen between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15.

A second Utah firm, Parsons Behle and Latimer, has filed a nearly identical class action lawsuit in federal court.

Christensen Young said it has also requested a class action certification to cover additional Target customers whose data might have been stolen or compromised.

The lawsuit's allegations include that Target failed to disclose information concerning the breach promptly to affected customers, which violates the Utah Unfair Competition Laws, and that plaintiffs have suffered injury, and lost property and money as a result.

Target on Tuesday had not yet responded to the lawsuit.

The attorneys allege Target has offered to provide credit-monitoring services to affected individuals but has not identified those they believe was affected by the breach.

Christensen Young urged anyone who believes they may have had their data stolen to contact their credit-card companies, banks and local police department to file a report about potential identity theft.

The firm said it is seeking more clients who believe they might have been impacted.

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